The Ax Book: The Lore and Science of the Woodcutter

A book about axes that, by necessity, is also a book about trees, wood, saws, steel, and history. For the serious woodchopper, this book is a must-read. Chapters on sharpening, handles and hanging an ax. Also covers felling, limbing, and splitting wood.

Excerpt from page 22 An ax swings even when you carry it. Though you can reduce the movement somewhat with a shoulder carry that position is clear mark of bravado ignorance or both. The safest method of carrying an unsheathed ax is to grip it just beneath the head with the bit pointed outward. Then if you stumble you are prepared to throw the ax aside or at least to keep the bit from pointing inward toward some part of your body. If you are reasonably alert (if completely alert you would not stumble) your hands will tend to break your fall and can carry the axhead beyond where any other part of your body will land on it. The problem with a double-bitted ax is that one bit will always point either near or toward you no matter how you carry it. If you stumble with one if possible throw it away as you fall. Even in such an insignificant item as this you can assess the toughness of the men who for generations cut timber with the ax. Danger was their life.